On September 5 Ukraine’s Internal Affairs Minister Yury Smyrnov told Interfax-Ukraine that the police is ready to take “tougher measures” against opposition members during September 15-16 activities dedicated to the first anniversary of Gongadze’s disappearance, in case they “resort to provocations” similar to those of March 9, 2001. “I do not want to see another sixty policemen suffer for nothing” was how the minister explained his stand. When asked what he meant by saying “tougher measures,” Mr. Smyrnov said, “We will actively react to their illegal actions if they resort to such... Under the law, we are entitled to react and not merely stand behind shields with helmets to protect our heads while rocks, scrap metal, and bricks are being hurled at us,” he said, adding that his ministry “did not expect” things to go that far on September 9, but now, “having learned our lesson, we will get ready to act in conformity with the law in order to be on the safe side.” Weighing a possibility of clashes on September 15-16, the minister also opined, “After all, the opposite side is not deprived of rational thinking... I do not think they would like to repeat the March 9 events which resulted in about ten people being jailed.”
